By Calvin Jensen
In their first matchup of the season against Odessa Community College, the injury plagued Lady Eagles struggled to find any rhythm against the Wranglers. Late in the third set, USU Eastern found its chemistry, but the effort came too late and Odessa defeated the Lady Eagles in a rare opening season loss with set scores of 25-15, 25-9 and 25-27.
Later in the day, Utah State Eastern emerged victorious against Tyler Community College, clinching a 3-1 win in a tightly contested match. The scores of 25-20, 25-21, 21-25 and 25-22 showcased the intensity and competitiveness of both teams with Eastern coming out on top.
The team was led by Rachel West’s impressive 11 kills and Ajah Rajvong’s strong defense at the net. Agata Makowska’s strategic setting ensuring the team’s hitters were well-positioned to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Led by a balanced attack, Lauren Hamilton’s seven kills and three kills by Casidy Fried contributed to the team’s impressive hitting efficiency. Makowska led with 14 assists, and Kelsy Stanger’s five kills played a pivotal role in dismantling Pima’s defense.
It was an impressive team effort against the eighth ranked Broncos. Makowska led the charge for Utah State Eastern, tallying 21 assists and one kill. Fried’s stellar performance was a highlight with an impressive 12 kills and three blocks showcasing her dominance at the net.
“It was exciting to see the progress and unity of our team in just two days of play,” said head coach Danielle Jensen. “A lot was learned from that first game and the team responded and made the adjustments quickly, which was awesome to see. We need to make some adjustments on our defense and once we hash that out and have a healthy roster, we are going to be in a great spot going forward in the preseason.”
No. 9 Utah State Eastern (2-2) will now travel to Fort Myers, Florida, to participate in the Battle of the Beaches Tournament hosted by defending national champion and No. 1 ranked Florida Southwestern State College. The Lady Eagles will compete against four historically elite programs during the two-day tournament. The action begins Friday, Aug. 25 against Dayton State College (3-2) at 10:30 a.m. Mountain Time.